Title: Two Mismatched Couples
Authors: Lady Anime and Princess Makoto
Email: ladyanime@hotmail.com and makoto4j@aol.com
Rated: PG
Part: Chapter 3

Lady Anime: Well, here's chapter 3.... Hope you all like it! I made it much 
longer this time! Don't forget to email me! I love emails! Chapter Three of Dimaond is Back will be posted by next week, sorry guys, but I just couldn't finish it this week with "Two Mismatched Couples"...Anyway, please just enjoy this chapter instead! Love ya all! And a great thanks to Princess Makoto for editing this chapter, it would have been horrible without her edition.

~~~~~~~~~~ The Next Day at the Arcade ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	On one side of the arcade were Darien and Alan catching up on old news. From just looking at Darien and Alan, you'd think that they had been best friends forever and you would never except the thunderstorm that was coming to the happy pair of old pals.
	On the other side of the arcade were Serena and Ann chatting busily about their ice stating lessons. The girls were your average sweet teenagers. You would never guess that the two friends would soon have to choose between 
friendship and love.
	" Ohhh, Serena! You know that spin we were working on? Well, I think I just figured out what we're doing wrong! Come on! Let's go to the rink, and I'll 
show you what I mean!" Ann grabbed Serena's hand and the two of them ran out 
of the arcade. If they had just stayed for a minute longer, maybe the up 
coming storm could have been avoided, but no such luck...Fate was playing 
its normal games again...
	
	" So, Alan, what have you been doing for the past 10 years?" Darien asked.
	" Nothing really, you know my dad, just moving from place to place. It gets really boring after a while. Aways on the run, never really having any time 
to make any real friends." Alan sighed. " But the good news is that, I'm 
staying here in Tokyo for the rest of my school years. The old man finally 
got it through his skull that it might be good for me to actually stay in 
one place for like longer than three or four month!"
	" That's great!" Darien smiled.
	" So, what about you man?" Alan asked.
	" Same o, same o! Nothing interesting about me." Darien said.
	" Still dreaming about that little angel you met when you were 7? Really Darien, you should stop and start dating other girls! I mean, hey, you were 7 and she was probably only 4 or 5, even if you found her...and I mean if, what if she turns out to be all ugly and nasty? I mean, people change! You haven' seen her for like what? 11 years? She could be a fat, ugly, mean, and nasty girl by now for all you know! Really, you should start looking into other girls..."
	" I think I found her."
	" What?"
	" Yeah, and the good part is that she's not fat, ugly, mean, or nasty, infact she's sweet, kind, beautiful and breathe taking..., but the bad part is she can barely tolerate me."
	" Huh? I'm getting really confused."
	" Well, it's like this, there's this girl that I met when..." And Darien 
told Alan of his encounters with Serena.
	" And so this girl that you are totally in love with has no idea what you feel for her?" Alan concluded.
	" That's pretty much it."
	" Then tell her."
	" What? Noooo Way! She would laugh right in my face. I mean we just 
recently became sort of friends and I really don't want to blow it now, I know girls have this thing for not wanting to date guys who are there friends or something like that..."
	" Gosh, my heart goes out to you man! Good luck!"
	" What about you? Any lucky ladies?" Darien asked.
	" Yeah, I think I found the one!" Alan said dreamily.
	" And?" Darien edged.
	" And the best part is, she likes me too!" Alan could hardly keep his 
emotions in check.
	" Figures, you'd get lucky!" Darien said jealously.
	" Really, Dare...you should at least give her some hints, you know..." Alan said.
	" Got any bright ideas?" Darien asked.
	" Um, well, say nice things, um, get her candy...um...sigh...okay I give, I don't know how to help you there." Alan admitted defeat.
	" Tell me how you did it then." Darien said. " How did you get the girl of your dreams?"
	" Well, it was actually quite simply. I just asked her out."
	" Why can't I be this lucky?" Darien cried.
	" Don't worry man, just be patient and in the mean time, be nice and 
sweet." Alan said.
	" Be nice, be sweet...Ha, just like about the only two things that I'm 
terrible at! I'll try! Oh, I gotta go, I have to give my girl her tutoring 
lessons now." Darien began to gather his things.
	"You mean, you're her tutor too? That's great! I'm sure after you two spend sometime together things will work out. Okay?" Alan encouraged him.
	" Thanks! Bye! Oh, and by the way, what you're girlfriend's name?" Darien asked.
	" Serena. You might know her! Blonde hair, blue eyes, totally hot and 
perfect!" Alan said.
	Darien froze, " Serena? The-the-girl with the weird hair do?"
	" That's the one! Do you know her?" Alan asked.
	"Uh not really, we kinda just fight a lot. Well I usually start it. She's uh, she's not really my type! Yeah, haha I uh, well I can't really describe my girl, but she's definately not that klutzy kid!"
	"I think her balance problem is cute."
	"Try having her run you over everyday on her way to school because she's late, or having her throw an F paper over her shoulder and hit you in the head, or make fun of your attitude, or talk incessently about her cat, or get mad and her eyes start to get these little tiny sparks in them, like the color of a stormy sky..." Darien started babbling.
	Alan was looking at him strangly, "Is he saying what I think he's saying?" Alan thought defensively..."Nah, he'd never do that to me...would he?"
	Seeing the look on his friends face made Dairen snap out of his day dream and he stood abruptly, " I gotta go! Bye!" Darien said as he ran out the arcade leaving a confused Alan.
	"No way! This can't be! Serena and Alan? Together? No! Damn, why does this have to be so hard! Serena's taken by my best friend!" Darien thought to himself. " Oh, well, it's not like you had a chance anyway. Maybe it's better this way, at least they're both happy." Refusing to let the tears come bursting out, Darien ran as quickly as he could back to his apartment, back to the only place where he can lock himself away from the world and show his emotions as he liked.
	Soon Darien reached his apartment, unlocked the door and slammed it shut.
	" Damn it! Why? Why!" He began to cry and as the tears began to fall down his face. His sobs became so devestating that he failed to hear the soft knock on the door and a sweet voice calling out in concern.
	" Darien?" A soft whisper called out as the door opened. "What's wrong?"
Darien stiffened at the voice. 
	" Serena? What are you doing here?" Darien barked. He wasn't mad at Serena, but he was embarrassed at the fact that she saw him cry.
	" You're tutoring me today remember? I mean, I can, no, I'll leave you, we can make up this lesson some other day." Serena began gathering her books 
and pencils.
	" Don't go..." Darien managed to croak out. " Please, just stay."
	" Sure..." Serena took Darien's hands and began stroking them. " What's 
wrong?"
	" The feel of her hands are so right." Darien thought. It was a while 
before Darien spoke.
	" Nothing, I just had a really tough day."
	Serena, knowing not when to press, let the subject drop.
	" Tough or not! You, Mister still have to help me with these questions! Mr. Gooth was picking on me today. Good thing, I stil remembered what we learned last time or I'd been the laughing stock of the whole grade! But I showed him!" Serena beamed.
	" I don't feel like studying today, let's talk." Darien said suddenly.
	" Darien? Are you feeling all right? Do you need to see a doctor?" Serena looked worried. She felt his forehead and decided that he was sick. "Yup, 
you're sick."
	" No, I'm alright, but I just want to talk right now...So tell me about 
yourself." Darien said.
	" If you say so," Serena looked doubtful. " Well, let's see, I'm sixteen 
years old, I have a cat and an annoying brother named Sammy, but I love him 
anyway. Oh, don't you ever tell him I said this though! He would never let 
me live it down!"
	Darien smiled.
	" And I---Hmp! This is boring. There's nothing special about me. What about you?"
	" Me?" Darien asked.
	" Yeah you! Tell me about you! Come to think of it! I don't know a single thing about you! Besides the fact that you have awful taste."
	" What's wrong with my taste?"
	" Take that green jacket that you always wear for example. It's so...so..." Serena couldn't find the words to describe that jacket. " Boring, old, yucky, ugly..."
	" Okay, okay! Stop insulting my jacket! I get your point." Darien sighed. "It was my favorite one too!"
	"That green one? Ha! I rest my case!" Serena giggled.
	" Hump!" Darien crossed his arms and pretended to look mad.
	" Awww, is your huge ego wounded? Tsk, Tsk!" Serena laughed. " So back to the subject, tell me about you."
	" There's nothing to know about me. Really, I'm really just another boring guy." Darien said.
	" Awwww! Come on! There's gotta be something interesting about you, tell 
me, where do your parents live. Do you have any sisters or brothers?" Serena 
asked innocently. She meant no harm, but it brought tears to Darien's eyes.
	" What wrong? Was it something I said? Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!"
	" No it's okay, it's just that, I never really knew my parents. In fact, I don't know anything about them really. They died when I was just a kid, and 
I don't remember anything about them. I don't remember if I have any sisters 
or brothers, or if I had any aunts or uncles or anything. You know what was 
so funny about the whole thing? We were all in an accident, but only I 
survived. Sometimes I just wonder why. After the accident, I lost 
everything, even memories. And..." Darien began to cry.  He couldn't go on.
	" Shhhh...It's alright. That's fine, just cry Darien let the tears come 
out. Holding them back isn't good for you...Just cry...let it all out..." 
Serena sat Darien down on his sofa and let him cry softly on her shoulders 
as she just held him there for a while.
	" Feel better now?" Serena asked Darien. " I'm really sorry about your 
parents, gosh, I can only image what you must have gone through!"
	" Well, there was one thing that keep me going all those years." Darien 
said.
	" What?"
	" Not what, who. A girl, on the day that I awoke from the hospital, no one was there and I began to cry. That girl, she came to me with a perfect rose 
and begged me not to cry. I told her that I lost everything and I have 
nothing left. She told me that I still had her and gave me the rose as a 
symbol of our friendship. That was what kept me going all those years, 
through thick and thin. It was the thought that I had someone that really 
helped me through." Darien finished.
	" Wow! That was really amazing!" Serena sighed.
	" Do you remember who that angel was?" Darien asked shyly.
	" How could I know?" Serena gave a confused look.
	" So, she forgot, could I blame her? I wasn't that important anyway." 
Darien thought bitterly.
	" Darien? Hello? You in there?" Serena waved her hand
	" Yeah, um, let's talk about something else now. So, I told you about me, your turn now." Darien changed the subject.
	" Oh, well, let's see, my favorite color is pink, I love bunnies and 
kitties and ice cream!" Serena smiled.
	" What was the happiest day of your life?" Darien asked randomly.
	" Hmm...my fourth birthday!" Serena said.
	" Why?"
	" Well, it was the day that my baby brother was born! He was soooo cute 
that day, I wonder what happened?" Serena and Darien both giggled at the 
lame joke.
	" OHMYGOSH!" Serena put a hand on her mouth and stared at Darien with big bulged eyes. " You...you...you're him? Aren't you?"
	" Huh?"
	" You're the boy that I met in the hospital that day, the one I gave a rose to!" Serena said. " You are the boy that was crying in big room on the day 
that my brother was born weren't you? I found you, lost and scared...I gave 
you a rose and told you not to cry!"
	" You remembered?" Darien smiled.
	" Of course I did! Oh my gosh! It is you! I can't believe it!" Serena said.
	" Why?"
	" Well, for starters, the boy I met back then, was sweet and nice and very cute, Hmm...what happened, Darien?" Serena hid a smile as she saw the horror that crept into Darien's eyes. "Just kidding."
	" Why you!" Darien suddenly smiled evilly. He took a fluffy pillow from his sofa and started attacking Serena with it. Before they knew the two were 
soon in a pillow fit and amazing, Serena was wining until...Darien started 
to tickle her.
	" Oh...hahah...stop....heeheheha...stop...hehe...it!" Serena giggled.
	" Say uncle!" Darien said.
	" No! Never!" Serena laughed.
	" Okay, you asked for it!"
	" Ohh...okay...haha...hee....heh...stop...st....op...stop it! Uncle! 
Haha...heehee..Uncle!" Serena begged.
	" There, that's better."
	" Not fair! Look at what you've done! You messed up my hair!" Serena whined as tried to repair her meatballs without success.
	" Quit whining, I'll fix it!" Darien said as he started to untangle 
Serena's hair.
	" Ouch! Be careful!" Serena scolded.
	" Sorry..." Darien whispered as he began stroking her hair softly.
	Serena was beginning to feel nervous, but she didn't move because for some strange reason she liked his touch.
	" Serena," Darien started in a husky voice then went to a soft whisper. " What would happen if I kissed you now?" He turned Serena around so that she 
was face-to-face with him."
	" I...you...you can't..." Serena protested in a soft stuttering voice, but Darien couldn't control himself any more. He held Serena by the waist 
gently, but firmly and bent his face to hers. Serena froze, she couldn't 
move and she wasn't quite sure that she even wanted too. Everything seemed 
to be in slow motion for Serena. Inch by inch their lips came closer and 
closer until they were only centimeters away. Then...
	Knock! Knock!
	" Hey, Serena, you in there?" A voice called.
	The two broke apart quickly. Serena looked flushed and very guilty. Darien just looked mad.
	" Who is it?" Serena asked as she went to the door.
	" It's me Ann! You left your purse at my house last night! One of your 
friends said that you might be here!"
	Serena opened the door as Darien came up behind her.
	" Hi, I'm Darien." Darien said.
	" I'm...Wow!" Ann said and then turned bright red. " I mean, Ann, 
um..sorry."
	" It's okay." Darien smiled.
	Serena felt a pang of jealously, but she pushed the thought away. Then 
suddenly an idea popped into her head and before she knew what she was doing 
she said, " Hey, Darien are you doing anything next Friday?"
	" Huh?" Darien looked confused. Was Serena asking him out? He hoped so.
	" Well, there's a huge dance at my school and Ann doesn't have a date yet so can you be her date?"
	" Oh..um..." Darien looked disappointed. He was about to say no, then he 
thought... 'Hmm...if I go to this dance with Ann, maybe I can dance with 
Serena for a while. It'd be worth the trouble.'
	" Okay, I guess so." Darien answered.
	" Great! Oh, gosh I gotta go! Bye Darien! Coming Ann?" Serena said as she gathered her things and left.
	" Bye, Serena, Ann!" Darien waved.
	As the girls left the building Ann burst out, " You're the best Serena! Oh, my gosh! I can't believe you got that major hunk to go to the dance with me! 
Thank you, thank you sooo much! I mean, I was feeling so bad that I didn't have a date and all and now! Wow! Thank you!" Ann gave Serena a big hug.
	Serena was happy for Ann, but a part of her sort of didn't want Darien to go Ann, instead to go with her, but she shrugged off the feeling when she 
remembered Alan.

~~~~~~~End of Chapter Three~~~~~~~~~

Lady Anime: Well, I hope you all enjoyed it! Sorry to the people who were expecting Serena and Darien to kiss then, I thought the interruption by Ann would be cuter though! 'Till next time! 
		~Hugs and Kisses~
			Lady Anime